Vayeishev 5747Volume 13 · Issue 13

A Matter of Kingship

reason, the sages tell us, and it is cited as law, one must always begin not for the sake of the thing. From there, he will come to act for the sake of the thing (Pesachim 50b; Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 10:5).

Miketz Chanukah 5748Volume 13 · Issue 14

Majestic Brilliance

In truth, the link between Hallel and joy is clearer. The Rambam cites as law (Hilchos Chanukah 3:6), “But on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there is no Hallel for they are days of repentance and fear and trepidation, not days of excessive joy.” Clearly, Hallel is recited out of excessive joy and this is its concept. But the link between thanks and joy is incomprehensible. Why must one be joyous to say thank you?

In Chanukah & Purim · Chapter 11View Sefer

Ki Seitzei 5758Volume 13 · Issue 2

Forefront of the Battle

This is the intent of the new and unique praise that we begin on Rosh Hashanah and continue throughout the Days of Fearsomeness, the Ten Days of Repentance: “The Holy King.” Holy is the sanctification of His Name, and King is the Oneness of His Name.

In Days of Repentance · Chapter 2View Sefer

Beshalach 5746Volume 13 · Issue 20

Mirror Image

hand, it was a plague, but the plague itself healed the other side, as the verse continues, “And they returned to God and He responded to them and healed them.” As usual, every blow has the capacity to engender repentance, and then the blow itself becomes the cure.

In On the Torah III · Chapter 96View Sefer

VaYakhel-Shekalim 5746Volume 13 · Issue 22

The Power of Acceptance

For this reason, Rabbeinu Yonah writes (Gates of Repentance 2:12; Bava Kama 85b), “The ear surpasses all other limbs, for one who blinds another pays for the worth of his eye but one who deafens another pays for his entire worth.” This is due to the supremacy of the power

In Chanukah & Purim · Chapter 28View Sefer

Tzav-Parah 5776Volume 13 · Issue 25

Passing of the Righteous

life exists for him. His whole life is in the tent of Torah and every other form of life is dead for him. As the Talmud states, “Is your will to live? Die before you die” (Tamid 32a; Shaarei Teshuvah 2:17).

In Chanukah & Purim · Chapter 39View Sefer

Acharei-Kedoshim 5747Volume 13 · Issue 28

Series of Fasts

…day and there is not enough time to become transformed and to enter another realm. Nonetheless, two earlier commentators, the Raavad and Orchos Chaim, maintain that there should be fasting even after Shavuos (Shaarei Teshuvah ibid.). Thus, the three festivals require a series of fasts, which is something that we never have. If there is a series of fasts, it is only due to tragic events, whether drought, plague, or another misfortune, Heaven forbid. This necessitates a series

In Sabbath & Prayer · Chapter 36View Sefer

Behar-Bechukosai 5747Volume 13 · Issue 30

Counting to the Uncountable

We know very little, but what our masters revealed and taught us is that the shofar comes to awaken—and what it awakens is the dormant “I,” as in, “I am asleep.” This is how the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 3:4) explains the shofar of Rosh Hashanah, and the Mishnah states (Rosh Hashanah 26b), “The Jubilee is identical to Rosh Hashanah for blowing.” Hence, the one can be derived from the other. The same concept applies to the shofar

In On the Torah IV · Chapter 125View Sefer

Mattos-Masei 5747Volume 13 · Issue 38

Hand to Hand

The Rambam elaborates (Hilchos Taaniyos 5:1-3). “There are days when all Israel fasts because of the tragedies that occurred on them, to awaken the hearts and open the ways of repentance. And this will be a reminder of our evil deeds, and the deeds of our ancestors that were like our deeds now until it caused them and us those tragedies. For by remembering these matters, we will return to become

In The Three Weeks · Chapter 26View Sefer

Vayigash 5750Volume 14 · Issue 14

Confined Space

The Rambam writes (Hilchos Taaniyos 5:1-3). “There are days when all Israel fasts because of the tragedies that occurred thereon, to awaken the hearts and to open the ways of repentance. It serves as a reminder of our evil deeds, and the deeds of our ancestors that were like our deeds now to the point that it brought them and us those tragedies. By remembering these tragedies, we will revert

Vaeira 5750Volume 14 · Issue 17

Scepter of the King

Rabbeinu Yonah (Gates of Repentance 1:22) explains that bushah, embarrassment, relates to the higher aspect of man, to his honor, whereas kelimah, shame, comes when embarrassment is brought to the surface and accentuated, as in, “Shame has covered my face” (Tehillim

In On the Torah III · Chapter 86View Sefer

Bo 5750Volume 14 · Issue 18

Cry of the Heart

heard—and He saved them from all their troubles.” As the Talmud states, and the Rambam cites as law, “A cry is beneficial to man whether before the sentence is decreed or afterward” (Rosh Hashanah 16a; Hilchos Teshuvah 2:6).

In On the Torah III · Chapter 89View Sefer

Emor 5750Volume 14 · Issue 27

A Good Heart

Rabbeinu Yonah writes in his Gates of Repentance (3:148), “Once it has been clarified that God created everything for His honor, man must take it to heart at every moment to honor Him and to consecrate Him in all his matters, and to uplift Him, to thank

In Omer & Shavuos · Chapter 17View Sefer

Vayeira 5750Volume 14 · Issue 8

Hand in Hand

Obviously, the more we are aware of the need, the more intensely we pray, and the more we receive. But prayer is for the principal, whether of knowledge, of repentance, of forgiveness, of redemption, of healing, of the blessing of years, and so on. Whatever the prayer, the foremost concept is that nothing is in our hands. Whether the continuation will be is dependent entirely on prayer. It does

In On the Torah I · Chapter 34View Sefer

Shoftim 5751Volume 15 · Issue 1

Time of Change

Understanding Repentance

Ki Seitzei 5751Volume 15 · Issue 2

End of Time

earlier commentators from all the words of inspiration spoken by all our masters during this month. It is also the reason for the ordinance of sounding the shofar throughout the month (Tur Orach Chaim 581; cf. Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 3:4).

In On the Torah V · Chapter 188View Sefer

Mishpatim 5752Volume 15 · Issue 20

Rational Decision

The shofar brings out—reveals and actualizes—the internal realm. It brings out and awakens that which slumbers and lies dormant within the depths of the heart. As the Rambam famously states (Hilchos Teshuvah 3:4), “Although the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a Biblical decree, it contains an allusion, as if to say, “Awake, sleepers, from your sleep, and you who slumber, arise from your slumber.” And the Talmud states

In On the Torah III · Chapter 105View Sefer

VaYikra-Zachor 5752Volume 15 · Issue 26

Memories

Our true memory is the remembrance of God. In the wonderful prose of Rabbeinu Yonah (Gates of Repentance 3:27), “For those of our holy lineage will achieve every beautiful conduct that crowns those who possess it through the remembrance of God, as it says (Yeshayahu 45:25), “Through God, all the descendants of Israel will become righteous

Tazri'a-HaChodesh 5752Volume 15 · Issue 28

Quintessential Originality

inherit the land—the branch of My plantings, the work of My hands, in which to be glorified” (Yeshayahu 60:21). The Rambam explains that the verse is referring to the transcendent land of the World to Come (Hilchos Teshuvah 3:5).

Behar 5752Volume 15 · Issue 29

Price of Transcendence

Obviously, all these 310 worlds must be included in what we know as the World to Come, the world of the future. Likewise, all of them must be included in root form in Israel (cf. Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 8:4). And the matter is clear. Israel had belonged to thirty-one kings, and every full stature is always multiplied by ten. In other words, whatever is singular in This World is tenfold in the World to Come.